Profile: Thole has only been a full-time catcher for a few years now but he's quieted a lot of doubters. He showed a knack for hitting for average in the minors and that carried over into the Majors; Thole hit .277 in 202 MLB at-bats in 2010, while also showing a good eye with a walk rate of 10.6 BB%. He also does a nice job of limiting the strikeouts, which helps him maintain the above-average batting average. On the downside, Thole will not provide any power whatsoever, which also means his run-producing numbers will be modest. Despite that, Thole remains a solid second-tier option in mixed leagues. Often times, fantasy managers are simply looking for catchers who won't hurt them. Thole is a great option at $1-$3 in auction leagues but keep an eye on how much playing time newly acquired veteran Ronny Paulino is expected to receive in 2011. If it's a strict platoon, the left-handed hitting Thole should still come out on top. (Marc Hulet)

The Quick Opinion: Catchers traditionally do not offer a lot of value in fantasy ball. Thole swings a nice stick and should hit for a good average but he won't hit for power and doesn't walk much.

Profile: Josh Thole doesn't strike out much. His strikeout rate is about half the league average, and his swinging strike rate tells the same story. He does walk at an above-average rate, so his plate discipline is a strength. Unfortunately, part of the way he achieves those rates is by choking up on the bat. Predictably, his power is non-existent. He's a catcher, too, so stolen-base speed is not coming. With league-average batted ball luck he's managed .270ish batting averages. If the ball bounces his way for a season, he could be a batting average specialist deep-league catcher or ideal second ottoneu catcher, but without that luck, he's replacement level in fantasy (at best). (Eno Sarris)

The Quick Opinion: Josh Thole doesn't have power or speed. He does have patience and makes contact, so he could manage a mediocre batting average for your deep league with two starting catcher slots.

Profile: If nothing else, the 26-year-old Thole figures to have a niche as R.A. Dickey's personal catcher in 2013. He followed up a strong rookie season (.268/.345/.344, 94 wRC+) with a poor 2012 effort (.234/.294/.290, 60 wRC+), though it's fair to expect his .273 batting average on balls in play to rebound a bit. Thole is an extreme ground ball hitter (57.7%) and will benefit from the turf in Toronto, though he's not going to beat out many infield hits. With little power to speak off, his primary fantasy value comes in OBP leagues thanks to his strong walk rate (9.1 BB%). Given his age, the move to a hitter-friendly park, and the flaws in the incumbent catchers' game, there's modest breakout potential here. (Mike Axisa)

The Quick Opinion: Thole will offer some value in OBP leagues if his batting average on balls in play rebounds and he maintains his strong walk rate, but he has little power. He should wind up as J.P. Arencibia's backup and R.A. Dickey's personal catcher, though there is at least some breakout potential given his age and the change in ballparks.

Profile: Back in 2010 and perhaps even 2011, Thole looked like he might be a solution at catcher for the Mets. However, his bat never really progressed, and he was not exactly being confused for Yadier Molina behind the plate, either. He ended up being part of the big Mets - Blue Jays trade prior to the 2013 season. For the Blue Jays, he was actually third on the depth chart and did not get much playing time in 2013, but 2014 looks like it might be different. Thole is currently slated to back up Dioner Navarro, so a couple hundred plate appearances are a possibility. While that is good news for Thole's major league career, it really shouldn't matter to fantasy owners all that much. Thole arguably hits enough to be a major-league average player given that he is a catcher, but that is a stretch. In deeper leagues that require two catcher, a .250/.320/.360 line might not kill you, but outside of those leagues, don't concern yourself with Thole, even if he does use Major Lazer's crowd-pleasing "Bubble Butt" as his walk-up music. (Matt Klaassen)

The Quick Opinion: Thole looks like he might get a bit more playing time for the Blue Jays in 2014, but he is still slated to be a backup catcher. He might be on the high end for backup catchers, but, well, enough said.

Profile: A few years ago, Josh Thole was supposed to be the Mets' catcher of the future. Right now, he is the Jays backup catcher of the present. Maybe. After signing Russell Martin, Toronto also has Dioner Navarro ahead of Thole (as of the moment). The Jays might look to trade Navarro to free up salary, which would open up a playing time for Thole. Toronto did pick up Thole's option for 2015, so they obviously have him in their plan on some level. Either way, he got only 150 plate appearances in 2014, so it is not like he is more than a backup catcher. It is difficult to say much about Thole's offense given the limited sample size the last two seasons -- his strikeout and walk rates improved a bit from 2013 to 2014, but again, the sample size is ridiculously small. Thole does not hit for average, power, or get on base much. Even among backup catchers, he is marginal. A second catcher in very deep leagues only. (Matt Klaassen)

The Quick Opinion: If the Blue Jays trade Dioner Navarro, then, well, you probably still should ignore Josh "Bubble Butt" Thole unless you are in a very deep league with multiple catcher slots.

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